REEL LIFE
CELEBRATING WITH GLEE
Parents who have been subjected to episodes of the new hit-series Glee probably wonder how such threadbare plots and two-dimensional characters manage to hold their children's attention. But they would be conveniently forgetting the effect shows like Fame had on their own teenage years. Music does more than soothe the savage breast; it can awaken desires we didn't even know we had.
Glee traces teacher Will Schuester's efforts to restore the singing fame of a no-where school. Once home to a nationally successful glee club, William McKinley High is now almost single-mindedly devoted to its popular cheer-leading squad. Consequently Schuester has to begin rebuilding the glee club with students rejected by the rest of the school body. The result is a prolonged triumph of the underdogs, as the socially unacceptable learn to value themselves and others through song.
Sound cheesy? Well, it probably should be. However, Glee's producers manage to avoid a modern-day Sound of Music by following a few simple rules. First, the characters don't just burst into song whenever they please. Their mixture of highly produced chart toppers and show tunes ($3.6 million an episode!) is presented as part of the glee club's preparations for regional finals. Secondly, the scripts place equal emphasis on adult and teenage characters, ensuring the series' broad appeal. Thirdly, the storylines centre on two spiritual themes that are guaranteed to gain traction in an image-conscious world.
You can read the rest of this story in the July issue. Check availability.
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